Italian brand's feisty pocket-rocket turns up the heat.

STARTING PRICE

$33,500

BASIC SPEC

New Abarth 595 revealed

Based on the pint-sized Fiat 500, the Italian carmaker's Abarth performance arm has added some sizzle to the little city cars.

Available in two body styles, hatch and convertible, the Abarth is also available in two specification levels; standard 595 guise and the more race-bred 595 Competizione.

The base 595 is priced from $26,990 before on-road costs and comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, flourishes of chrome on the exterior and touches of matte black on the front dam and rear bumper. LED daytime running lights and a dual tip chrome exhaust complete the exterior highlights.

Inside, the 595 scores the brand's updated Uconnect infotainment system which is accessed through a 5.0-inch touchscreen as well as Bluetooth, navigation and DAB+ digital radio. A 440 watt Beats Audio system is also present with seven speakers and an eight channel digital amplifier.

The Abarth 595 Competizione is priced from $31,990 and comes with a range of race focused upgrades including four-piston front Brembo brakes with red calipers, Koni shock absorbers, dual-mode quad-tip exhaust and a carbon fibre and Alcantara steering wheel.